All students had become accustomed to Edsby before Hillsborough County made the decision to switch over to Canvas last year. But now that we all have utilized both programs, it is easy to see that there are varying opinions on the topic.
“Canvas is a better tool in many regards with the capability of having assignments at the student’s fingertips, and we can open a module or close it with a click,” Steinbrenner forensics teacher Daniel Hartung said.
Canvas has a minimal layout. With all of the class icons in front of you, every period is easily accessible from the dashboard, and within those pages you can effortlessly navigate to grades, announcements, and even the class syllabus. Assignments can be found under the modules tab, where they are neatly organized by unit, something Edsby is not capable of.
“Canvas has been a ton of extra work and stress on us at this already difficult time, but I think I am going to give it two thumbs up overall.”, Hartung said.
Teachers may see the two programs in a different light than the students, though. Students are not required to upload assignments, grade all those assignments, and keep track of 50 emails. Teachers need to manage every part of their class page while keeping in contact with students, so maybe Canvas is more user-friendly in that sense, whereas Edsby is the more viable option for students to quickly check their grades.
While many teachers seem to enjoy the layout of Canvas, students still seem to be on board with Edsby.
“Edsby is easier because when you simply click on your grade or class, everything you need to see is right in front of you, rather than scrolling through all the buttons on Canvas,” Senior Jimmy Steed said.
Edsby does have a simple layout. It is a straightforward program that presents students with their grades, assignments, and messages all within a few clicks. Its features include a feed tab where you can find all your teacher’s posts, assignments, photos, and even polls. Edsby also has a user-friendly messaging system where you can send messages, photos, and documents to any teacher or student in the school. While Steed and a lot of students favor and are used to the standard features of Edsby, Canvas does have some features that seem to be more convenient and up to date.
“I do find it a lot easier to reach out to teachers in Canvas,” Steed said.
Canvas has its own email system embedded into the program. Using an online mailing network, which Hillsborough County has made accessible for all students. It is also easier to access one’s messages through Canvas’ homepage. There is a mailbox icon which takes you directly to it without even leaving the webpage. So, while students still prefer most features of Edsby, Canvas is favored in some aspects as well.
Kyle Messina // Staff Writer
